It’s Friday evening, and you’re getting ready to head home for the weekend—when your phone rings. You don’t want to answer because you already know what it will be. Yep, it’s a staff RN calling to let you know they will not be able to make it for their Saturday shift.
This scenario feels all too familiar, and you’re tired of making endless phone calls, guilt-tripping already-tired staff, and sifting through agency voicemails just to find yourself exactly where you started: understaffed.
Nursa was created to address this need precisely.
This practical guide covers everything schedulers need to confidently and effectively address last-minute staffing gaps. Next time you get that call, you’ll be prepared.
What is Nursa? An overview for schedulers
Nursa is a healthcare staffing marketplace that connects medical facilities directly with credentialed local nurses and other healthcare professionals to fill per diem shifts.
Unlike a traditional staffing agency, Nursa is not a middleman and doesn’t require long-term contracts or minimum quotas for posted shifts.
- Schedulers post the shifts they need to fill, and qualified independent contractor nurses in the area are immediately notified, resulting in quick shift fill times.
- Clinicians who request shifts are choosing to work, which means no-shows are rare.
- Healthcare facilities maintain complete control, approving the clinicians who best match their needs.
- Facility administrators also approve the pay rates before posting shifts—no agency markups or other hidden fees.
Posting shifts on Nursa offers healthcare facility schedulers speed, control, and cost transparency, allowing them to fill last-minute call outs or scale up during census surges.
Whether you are signing your facility up for Nursa the first time or connecting to an existing facility account, these features and best practices
1. Set up your account the right way
The right way is your way. Invite as many people as you want to collaborate and choose your preferred settings.
Connect your facility and configure your profile
Once you have created an account, connect to your facility profile to post shifts and manage existing requests. Multiple users can be connected to the facility account, including admins, DONs, schedulers, and finance teams. That way, everyone can collaborate to cover scheduling needs and without any issues.
Set up your preferred Timekeeping method
With Nursa’s Timekeeping system, healthcare facilities can easily verify clinician arrival and departure times, preventing confusion about billing amounts and the time a clinician actually worked. Timekeeping reduces confusion and misunderstanding, while also streamlining reporting and billing. These verified records result in fewer invoice disputes, less administrative work, and faster clinician payments.
Select your preferred Timekeeping method:
- QR code check-in: Clinicians receive a facility-specific QR code to scan upon arrival, instantly confirming their presence and creating a secure timestamp.
- One-time passcode: A Nursa device at the facility generates a 6-digit code every 30 seconds for instant shift verification.
- Location-verified Timekeeping: Location services verify check-ins and check-outs at the facility, enhancing reliability and reducing the need for manual adjustments.
2. Create and post your shifts
Post as many shifts as you need in just a few steps.
Post a single shift to fill a last-minute call out or a small gap
Sometimes you only need coverage for a single shift.
- You may have a last-minute call out to fill.
- You may need coverage for a specialized shift, but no one qualified is available.
- You may also want fine-grained control over a specific opening.
In any of these situations, here’s how you can post a single PRN shift:
- Go to the Menu in the top left corner and select Schedule.
- Tap Create New, select Shift, and ensure you select the correct facility.
- Customize shift details (date, license, shift time, and shift instructions).
- Preview the details and confirm pricing before posting the shift.
Facility users can also set up schedule settings in advance to speed up posting when time is of the essence.
Best practice: Always include shift instructions (unit, parking, dress code, and key contact) to help with PRN nurse onboarding, and check the box to save them as default instructions. This feature lets you create, save, and reuse instructions for future shifts.
Select Bulk Shift Upload for multiple shifts
Have you noticed a pattern of increased call outs on weekend shifts?
Take a proactive approach by using Bulk Shift Upload for known recurring staffing gaps before they become emergencies.
Bulk Shift Upload allows you to post your entire nursing schedule to the marketplace at once, instead of entering shifts one by one. Post multiple shifts across different dates, times, and license types at once.
Nursa adapts to your schedule; the system automatically interprets the details and applies your saved preferences for things like license types and scheduling rules.
- Enter times in 24-hour or AM/PM format.
- Use spaces or commas.
- Mix different shift types.
Create and post shifts more quickly with NIA
Nursa Intelligence Assistant (NIA) Shift Creator eliminates manual data entry. Facility schedulers can quickly create and post shifts in 3 ways:
- Say it: Describe the shifts you need.
- Snap it: Take a photo.
- Send it: Upload your schedule directly.
Here’s an example: You have just approved a PTO request, but now you urgently need to find extra coverage for the open shifts. Simply grab your phone, open the app, go to the schedule section, tap Create New, and select Bulk Upload. Then you can tell the app what you want: "I need 2 CNA evening shifts, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., this Friday and Saturday." NIA will generate both shift drafts in seconds.
Best practice tip: Review NIA-generated drafts before posting shifts to confirm that pricing, instructions, and license type are accurate.
NIA saves you time by allowing you to post shifts in seconds from wherever you are—no repetitive typing or data entries.
Set the right shift price to ensure coverage
Forget about surprise bills full of hidden fees. Choose the pricing structure and approve the shift price before posting each shift.
That said, ensure your pricing remains competitive to increase request volume and fill shifts quickly. You may even want to add a bonus to encourage quality clinicians to apply for much-needed shifts.
Do you need help to set the ideal rate?
Nursa provides dynamic, data-driven guidance to keep your pricing competitive and help you attract the qualified clinicians you need.
3. Schedule the most-qualified clinician
Once a shift is posted, you will start to receive requests. Here’s how to schedule a clinician for a shift:
Click on the Shift Details to see a list of the clinicians who have requested to work that shift. You’ll be able to see how many credentials each per diem nurse has that match your Screening List (e.g., 10/14 Credentials). Nursa clearly displays all pending requests so schedulers can review, compare, and respond without bouncing between views. You can also view each clinician's request for more details.
A clinician’s profile shows:
- Facility Rating (how they’ve been rated working at your facility only)
- Notes (information left by someone else connected to your facility)
- License
- Match to your selected Screening List (blue check mark for uploaded credentials)
- Background Check(s)
- Experience (if provided)
- Contact Information
Clinicians may have credentials that they simply have not yet uploaded. You can always click on Suggest Clinician Upload a Credential to contact the clinician.
As you manage shift requests, click Schedule to select your preferred nursing professional to fill the shift. Once you schedule a clinician, they will receive a notification.
Best practice: Respond to requests promptly. Clinicians planning their schedules need confirmation; slow approval can damage your standing with top-tier clinicians who value certainty.
At any point in this process, schedulers can download and save clinician profiles in PDF format to keep records of the Nursa clinicians they’ve scheduled. These documents include all the credentials they’ve uploaded, their background checks, and details on their specialties and experience.
Understand credential verification
When you schedule clinicians through Nursa, the platform handles automated verification. Forget about conducting license verification or background checks manually—one less thing to worry about. Of course, you can still always view uploaded credentials for an extra layer of reassurance.
What you should focus on is reviewing clinician profiles to determine clinical competence and role fit. The Skills Assessments feature gives schedulers deeper insight into a clinician's specific capabilities beyond basic credentials. It is especially useful for specialized units.
Use Screening Lists to filter for the right match
Schedulers can further streamline the selection process by creating customized Screening Lists that detail specific qualifications, certifications, or experience requirements for each shift. Screening lists can also be used to Auto-Schedule clinicians that match the screening list for a given shift.
Nursa automatically includes Essential Credentials based on what’s most important in the healthcare industry. However, adding your own requirements and preferences will help you filter for the right match, as Nursa compares clinician requests with your Screening Lists to highlight the best fits.
Best practice: Create Screening Lists for each unit and license type, rather than a single global list. The requirements for a charge RN in a skilled nursing unit are different from those for a CNA on a rehab floor.
4. Build a pool of reliable clinicians with the Favorites List
Did you schedule a clinician who was a great fit for your team?
Add them to your Favorites List.
Your Favorites List is a curated list of clinicians you've worked with and trust, saved in your Nursa account. This list is the foundation for Auto-Schedule (see next section), essential for streamlining a facility’s PRN talent pipeline and creating a buffer against last-minute gaps.
Here’s how to add a valued PRN clinician to your Favorites List:
- Click Menu in the top-left corner.
- Select Data.
- Select Clinicians.
- Filter Clinicians using the Facility drop-down, Date Range, and Search bar.
- Click on the heart icon to Favorite a clinician or select the icon again to Un-Favorite them.
Favoriting can also be done from the clinician’s profile.
What if you have a negative experience with a PRN clinician?
Blocking clinicians is also possible. This action prevents a particular clinician from seeing or requesting shifts at your building.
5. Get faster shift coverage with Auto-Schedule
Here’s how to use Nursa to fill shifts faster: Auto-Schedule.
Once you have added clinicians to your Favorites List, you can choose to have them Auto-Scheduled to future shifts. This means that, when enabled, Auto-Schedule automatically fills a posted shift the moment a qualifying clinician from your Favorites List (or your Screening criteria) submits a request.
By curating a strong Favorites List and a comprehensive Screening List, you can ensure that only trusted professionals fill your open nursing shifts.
Auto-Schedule is ideal for any situation where your top priority is to fill a shift quickly with a trusted face. Here are some examples:
- Overnight shifts: Swiftly backfill last-minute cancellations at 4:30 a.m. for a 6 a.m. start.
- Weekends: Enjoy a "set it and forget it" approach.
Auto-Schedule may not be ideal for all situations. Use caution when:
- Posting shifts for highly specialized units
- Posting shifts requiring specific certifications not captured in your Screening List
Also consider delaying Auto-Schedule until you have created a Favorites List that is robust enough to cover last-minute needs.
You maintain full control:
- Activate it for all shifts.
- Turn it off at any time.
- Customize it by shifting to meet unique scheduling needs.
Best practice for complex facilities: Use Auto-Schedule for shifts where any trusted clinician will suffice; use manual review for specialized units or shifts that require specific competencies.
6. Stay organized with Task View and Communication Preferences
Top-performing healthcare facilities have one thing in common: same-day follow-up.
Task View centralizes important shift-related actions so schedulers don’t miss key steps. It simplifies follow-ups and keeps work moving.
- See outstanding actions in one place.
- Reduce manual tracking.
- Stay organized during busy scheduling periods.
Nursa also allows schedulers to configure which notifications they receive and how, reducing alert fatigue while ensuring critical updates get through.
Best practice: Customize notifications by type. Allow immediate alerts for new shift requests on high-priority open shifts, and reduce frequency for routine confirmations. The Nursa app sends facility users text notifications about clinician cancellations, ensuring visibility in worst-case scenarios.
7. Integrate Nursa with your scheduling tools
Nursa integrates with major scheduling and healthcare workforce management systems, including UKG, Covr, StaffLion, Dropstat, and Maple. Integration allows you to post shifts to Nursa’s per diem staffing marketplace from within your existing scheduling platform. The Nursa API also supports fully custom integrations.
Best practice: Connect your Nursa account to your scheduling system early in your setup—the time savings compound over every shift posted.
8. Use Nursa as a recruiting pipeline
Cover last-minute needs while scoping out potential new talent for your facility.
Over one-third of Nursa clinicians are actively seeking part-time or full-time employment. Unlike staffing agencies, Nursa does not charge conversion fees when facilities hire per diem clinicians from the platform. With this contingent staffing strategy, facilities can bypass bureaucratic recruitment processes. Here’s how:
- Post per diem shifts to cover immediate needs.
- Observe clinician performance in your actual environment.
- Add top performers to your Favorites List.
- Extend an employment offer to the right candidates when ready.
Best practice: With no hire-away fees, facilities can use Nursa to find the right long-term hire.
FAQs for facility schedulers on Nursa
Like your answers short and sweet? Here’s what you need to know.
How do I post a shift on Nursa?
Once you have signed up and connected your account to your facility profile, here’s how you post a shift:
- Go to the Menu in the top left corner and select Schedule.
- Tap Create Shifts, and confirm you select the correct facility needing coverage.
- Customize shift details (date, license, shift time, and shift instructions).
- Preview the details, confirm pricing, and post the shift.
What is NIA, and how can it save me time when posting shifts?
NIA stands for Nursa Intelligence Assistant. The NIA Shift Creator eliminates manual data entry. Instead, schedulers can:
- Say it: Describe the shifts they need.
- Snap it: Take a photo.
- Send it: Upload the schedule directly.
Can Nursa integrate with my existing scheduling systems?
Yes, Nursa integrates with major scheduling and workforce management systems, including UKG, Covr, StaffLion, Dropstat, and Maple, allowing you to post shifts to Nursa’s per diem staffing marketplace from within your existing scheduling platform.
Can I hire a per diem clinician I found through Nursa as a full-time employee?
Yes, Nursa encourages facilities and clinicians to communicate directly to explore opportunities for long-term employment. No middlemen. No hire-away fees.
PRN shifts serve as working interviews, allowing both facilities and clinicians to determine whether a full-time position would be a good fit.
What should I do if a shift isn't filling fast enough?
Consider adding a bonus to encourage quality clinicians to request much-needed shifts. Also, take a proactive approach next time, and base your pay rate on Nursa’s dynamic, data-driven guidance to keep your pricing competitive.
How does Nursa verify clinician credentials and run background checks?
When clinicians request shifts, Nursa automatically verifies licenses and runs background checks against federal and state databases. Clinicians with expired or flagged licenses are made ineligible, keeping patients safe and facilities compliant.
Nursa helps you cut scheduling time and reduce administrative work
Are you taking full advantage of Nursa’s facility features to reduce your workload?
Use this checklist to make sure you are not missing out on any key features:
- Select your preferred Timekeeping method to verify clinician arrival and departure.
- Use Bulk Shift Upload for high-volume coverage and eliminate manual data entry with NIA Shift Creator.
- Use Screening Lists to filter for the right match.
- Build a customized talent pool by Favoriting top clinicians.
- Enable Auto-Schedule when reducing shift fill times is your top priority.
- See all outstanding actions, reduce manual tracking, and stay organized with Task View.
- Customize notifications to avoid alert fatigue without missing important communications.
- Connect your Nursa account to your scheduling system.
- Treat PRN shifts as working interviews to recruit confidently.
Were you missing any of the above?
Log in to your account to try out these best practices and quickly get coverage for your staffing gaps.
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